Safety fears prompt Hilden crossing call

Councillor Jonathan Craig (centre) at Low Road with representatives of Hilden Community Association and local traders who have raised a petition calling for a new pedestrian crossing in the area.

Published:12:24Thursday 30 June 2016

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Residents and traders at Hilden have raised a petition calling for a new crossing on the Low Road, amid heightened fears over traffic volume and pedestrian safety.

As Transport NI embarks on a review of traffic-calming in the Low Road area,the Hilden Community Association and traders in the area are urging the agency to provide a pedestrian crossing in the vicinity of the new Spar shop.

Weighing in behind the newly launched campaign, Councillor Jonathan Craig said locals feared for the safety of children and the elderly in particular.

“With the concentration of shops and the relocation of the local Spar in this part of the Hilden area, “ he said, “we believe the increased volume of cars and pedestrians now using this stretch of road justifies our call for a pedestrian crossing in this area.”

That call, he said, followed complaints from residents and traders concerning pedestrian safety.

He had worked closely with shopkeepers and the Hilden Community Association, he said, to launch the petition.

Hilden Community Association’s Trish McCormick added: “With the recent announcementfrom Transport NI that they are reviewing plans for traffic calming in the Low Road area, we believe that a pedestrian crossing should form part of any review being carried out by Transport NI.”

The two thanked local shopkeepers for supporting the campaign and urged residents to sign the petition, which can be found in shops in the area.

A Transport NI spokesman said: “TransportNI has received a request from local representatives to conduct a traffic survey on Low Road, Lisburn. We are giving the matter our consideration with a view to carrying out a survey in the autumn when traffic patterns return to normal following the school summer holidays.”